Youth Sports Are Broken
Youth Sports Are Broken. The youth sports industry is worth an estimated $30 to $40 billion dollars. In her book Take Back the Game, author Linda Flanagan traces the origin of this boom back to the 1970s, when funding for parks and recreation departments was cut, followed by the Great Recession. Organizations, starting with Disney, who originally just wanted to combat waning ticket sales at their theme parks, created their own youth sports complex. Others followed suit, and soon youth sports megaplexes were popping up all over the country. To keep these massive structures filled, they needed year-round sports.
The end of recreational sports
Travel teams became the norm, often taking the recreation leagues’ top players. This, in turn, fueled parents’ insecurities that their child would be left behind and not have opportunities to play in high school or not get accepted to a good university if they didn’t make the jump to club. Soon, spending thousands of dollars on youth sports every year became the norm.
We are caught in a system that doesn’t value the sole reason it exists
Parents trying to survive in this broken system began putting more and more pressure on their kids to succeed and keep up with their teammates; rankings starting as young as 8-year-olds have only added to the mania. It’s a vicious cycle that shows no signs of slowing down as NIL and potentially more lucrative outcomes for female athletes are on the rise. We are caught in a system that doesn’t value the sole reason it exists: the athletes.
The evidence is undeniable
How do we know that? For one thing, our athletes continue to quit in record numbers, 70% by age 13. There is an actual epidemic of injuries fueled by early sports specialization, and athletes’ mental health is suffering – data from the American College of Sports Medicine indicates that 35% of elite athletes struggle with eating disorders, burnout, depression, or anxiety.
Change needs to happen well before the high school years
So why, then, aren’t parents and adults doing more to make a change?
I believe it’s because by the time parents {typically those with kids in their early high school years} start to see the wreckage caused by youth sports, most are so deep into it already with money, time, and emotional energy – and their kids, that they feel it’s too late to make a change, they’re afraid to, or just don’t want to. The parents of the younger athletes need to educate themselves and make decisions with eyes wide open from the beginning.
We need to change the reason ‘why’ we play
Sports are innately good. They keep kids active, out of trouble, and off their phones. At a young age, sports should be about fun and personal growth. They teach valuable character and life-building skills. But kids won’t get these great things from sports when overbearing, win-at-all-cost adults and big business are at the forefront. Instead, they create stressful experiences that counteract one of the most valuable reasons for the existence of youth sports—better health.
Her best no longer seemed good enough
This happened to my own daughter and, recently, to my friend’s daughter, Anna. She was a promising young lacrosse player who used to play for the sheer love of the game. With time, however, her parents’ relentless drive for her to excel began to weigh heavily on her. Practices became a chore, games a battlefield, and lacrosse, once a source of joy, became a burden. Ultimately, Anna decided to quit lacrosse, mostly because she felt immense pressure and the constant fear of disappointing her parents. Her best no longer seemed good enough. They always had something more they wanted from her. The fun had disappeared.
Anna’s story is far too common. Countless others have had similar experiences, losing their passion for a sport they once loved due to the overwhelming and constant pressure to perform and meet unrealistic expectations.
What can we do?
So, how can we change this narrative? Sports parents need to have agency and bravery in making the RIGHT choices for their child, whatever those may be. We all need to adopt a more balanced and sustainable approach to youth sports, creating a lifelong love and lifelong ability to play instead of pushing so hard that our kids peak at age 15. This doesn’t mean not supporting your child if they have goals of playing in college or even professionally or not teaching them accountability and responsibility. What it does mean is that their sports experience needs to be THEIR sports experience, child-centered and child-led, ESPECIALLY for those kids who want to play at a high level and for the long term.
How do we actually do this?
Child-centered means decisions are made based on what’s best for the child, not for the coach, a college scholarship, the win, or our own egos, but what’s best for our child’s overall well-being and joy. This doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive from success or playing at a high level (if that’s what the child wants); in fact, they typically are synonymous. For example, not specializing at a young age is good both for their mental and physical health and will also help them to become better athletes.
Don’t rob them of the great things they can get from sports
It’s not our journey. It’s theirs. A tiny percentage of athletes play past high school, so ruining their experience by focusing on outcomes and results is misguided and shortsighted. Don’t rob them of all the great things they can get from sports by turning their youth into a pressure cooker.
A lifelong love for the game
We need to encourage our kids to enjoy the process of playing, revel in the camaraderie of the team, and appreciate the beauty of the sport. Let’s strive to make sports a joyful experience that encourages a lifelong love for the game.
More articles from Ilovetowatchyouplay.com that you might like:
How To Be A Positive Sports Parent
My Daughter Quit Sports, And This Is What Youth Sports Parents Need To Know
The 6th Man Is Actually The Parent
Kids Tell Us The Truth About Sports Parents
9 Habits of Highly Effective Team Players
Are We Doing Too Much For Our Athletes?